Don't judge me but if the throttle response is even remotely close to how this guy revs. I will be a happy daily driver, don't even care about HP but it would be nice.

HAHAHA that is some damn fine tuning!

Anyways, Thanks for the honest opinion & review for your car. I don't expect everyone to be happy with AA. Like what others have stated, I believe 325i guys that have done the manifold swap are the ones that benefit the most from this tune. I don't doubt your opinions on the tune because I believe xi & n51 drivers should have an honest review for them so their expectations aren't set as high as yours were. As for me, I have my 330i Manifold installed on my 325i & am waiting for June to roll around the corner to get my AA tune & PE

Anyone know of a place that does Dyno's by Thousand Oaks, CA or Simi Valley?

Take whatever you want from this.. but I am actually being honest about the tune. Believe what you want.

I think it was definitely worth it and I felt the difference in throttle response and power IMMEDIATELY on the drive home. It definitely put a smile on my face. Response is definitely there and is more prominent than the power boost for sure.. but it makes all the difference.

The once lethargic N52 really comes into its own with the tune and trust me I was the MOST skeptical of anybody else of "wasting" $500 of my hard earned money on a tune where I could easily spent it on a nice wax/polish job, a nice watch or a nice evening of hookers and scotch on the town. However I don't regret spending the money on the tune.

I track my car and have a lot of track time/experience so I'm not your average bimmer douche off the street.

I think its worth it - I don't think its a scam at all... and to be fair I can tell you that the feeling has worn off in recent months... I don't know if its the tune, whether or not my recent waterpump and t-stat repair had anything to do with it or if its just my heavy OEM winter rims and shitty winter tyres but the car feels slower. It's really amazing what light wheels and tyres can do for your car.. but I feel/hope that once I get my lightweight CSL's on in the summer the car starts putting more smiles on my face.

I'm entitled to my opinion, as are you, and you've already expressed yours in your own review thread. Don't come in my thread and try to justify the tune or say that I'm wrong.

You make too many generalizations in the way you write, but let's assess one thing that's sticking out to me most: You don't know/can't tell if your tune is even active. That says a lot.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Route 16

Don't judge me but if the throttle response is even remotely close to how this guy revs. I will be a happy daily driver, don't even care about HP but it would be nice.

Amazing!

Quote:

Originally Posted by spacemonkey1112

HAHAHA that is some damn fine tuning!

Anyways, Thanks for the honest opinion & review for your car. I don't expect everyone to be happy with AA. Like what others have stated, I believe 325i guys that have done the manifold swap are the ones that benefit the most from this tune. I don't doubt your opinions on the tune because I believe xi & n51 drivers should have an honest review for them so their expectations aren't set as high as yours were. As for me, I have my 330i Manifold installed on my 325i & am waiting for June to roll around the corner to get my AA tune & PE

Anyone know of a place that does Dyno's by Thousand Oaks, CA or Simi Valley?

Thank you for understanding!

Quote:

Originally Posted by redline2001

Thanks for your personal review of the tune Kamek. Think I'll just get the BMS or leave my car as is.

Glad I could help.

Guys, I'm not bashing or downplaying the AA tune. I'm just telling it how it is from my perspective. My review is just one of many that are floating around, so please don't get touchy if I don't feel the same way you do.

I've seen too many people swear by the AA tune who are very ecstatic about its minimal gains, and I affirmatively use the word "minimal" given my first hand experience. Those reviews have said such things as "pushed me back in my seat" and "smile I can't get off my face," and the like. If there's any expression on my face, it's of confusion as I'm trying to figure out what it has actually done for my car.

Thanks for the refreshingly unbiased review. People severely underestimate the power of placebo. There are entire industries run on that stuff. Human beings are very unreliable detectors, and any comment like "I definitely felt a difference", whether it is about an ECU re-flash, or a pure silver speaker cable, or a $1M violin, or a $100 bottle of wine, etc etc, doesn't mean jack without reproducible measurements to back it up.

I would personally pay that much money only to fix up the throttle delay, as I find it very annoying when I try to heel and toe. But I'm not surprised the power gain is very modest.

Thanks for the refreshingly unbiased review. People severely underestimate the power of placebo. There are entire industries run on that stuff. Human beings are very unreliable detectors, and any comment like "I definitely felt a difference", whether it is about an ECU re-flash, or a pure silver speaker cable, or a $1M violin, or a $100 bottle of wine, etc etc, doesn't mean jack without reproducible measurements to back it up.

I would personally pay that much money only to fix up the throttle delay, as I find it very annoying when I try to heel and toe. But I'm not surprised the power gain is very modest.

Thanks for understanding my review and you're welcome for it. There have been dyno sheets that've showed gains from the tune, but 10-15 HP is minimal, as are any gains from any performance mods to our engines. I just want people to know that I personally didn't feel a significant difference, but there's definitely one -- just not one that will blow your mind.

Andrew emailed me, I showed him that video, he said "With our software we can make the throttle response anyway you want it. Even with the general settings that we send out the response and overall smoothness is much improved over stock. We also remove all the excess pedal play as well".

Andrew emailed me, I showed him that video, he said "With our software we can make the throttle response anyway you want it. Even with the general settings that we send out the response and overall smoothness is much improved over stock. We also remove all the excess pedal play as well".

I want that throttle then after my baseline dyno.

just wondering, In tuning this throttle response, how different can it possibly be from stock? If you can put it into words, for me I would greatly appreciate it. I read a lot of reviews saying there is an increase in throttle response, but what exactly is this change referring to? I thought any restriction was due to just how my N52 motor was built.

just wondering, In tuning this throttle response, how different can it possibly be from stock? If you can put it into words, for me I would greatly appreciate it. I read a lot of reviews saying there is an increase in throttle response, but what exactly is this change referring to? I thought any restriction was due to just how my N52 motor was built.

How different, I'd say in a nutshell, just removing throttle lag, beyond a reaction to how the throttle response "feels" better is up to personal preference. Just like how I am expecting it to be *fingers crossed* once I get stage 2. If I can do a jingle bells melody then I'd say tune accomplished.

just wondering, In tuning this throttle response, how different can it possibly be from stock? If you can put it into words, for me I would greatly appreciate it. I read a lot of reviews saying there is an increase in throttle response, but what exactly is this change referring to? I thought any restriction was due to just how my N52 motor was built.

This is completely inaccurate, but I'm using it as an example: If you tap your throttle all the way down with your stock ECU, it'll rev up to, say, 4K RPM. If you tap your throttle all the way down with a flashed ECU with a more responsive throttle, it'll rev to, say, 5K RPM.

What happens is that it removes the delay when the throttle actuates, so you'll feel a more immediate response from pressing the gas.

For rev-match downshifting pre-tune, I used to have to press the gas, wait a half second for the delay to pass, then do my downshift to give my car time to make it up to the appropriate RPM. Post-tune, I can now just blip my throttle and downshift without worrying about a delay.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Route 16

How different, I'd say in a nutshell, just removing throttle lag, beyond a reaction to how the throttle response "feels" better is up to personal preference. Just like how I am expecting it to be *fingers crossed* once I get stage 2. If I can do a jingle bells melody then I'd say tune accomplished.

The tune from AA won't meet your expectations to play Jingle Bells with your throttle. You should let them know that you want it more/extra responsive.

This is completely inaccurate, but I'm using it as an example: If you tap your throttle all the way down with your stock ECU, it'll rev up to, say, 4K RPM. If you tap your throttle all the way down with a flashed ECU with a more responsive throttle, it'll rev to, say, 5K RPM.

What happens is that it removes the delay when the throttle actuates, so you'll feel a more immediate response from pressing the gas.

For rev-match downshifting pre-tune, I used to have to press the gas, wait a half second for the delay to pass, then do my downshift to give my car time to make it up to the appropriate RPM. Post-tune, I can now just blip my throttle and downshift without worrying about a delay.

The tune from AA won't meet your expectations to play Jingle Bells with your throttle. You should let them know that you want it more/extra responsive.

Thanks for the clarification! to your other response, are you saying I can have my throttle extra sensitive?

Thanks for the clarification! to your other response, are you saying I can have my throttle extra sensitive?

See Route 16's post below:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Route 16

Andrew emailed me, I showed him that video, he said "With our software we can make the throttle response anyway you want it. Even with the general settings that we send out the response and overall smoothness is much improved over stock. We also remove all the excess pedal play as well".

No offense to the OP, but this is just 1 review. There are a few threads that post actual data about whether the tune shows gains or not.

Hard to say how much the car has gained without dyno numbers. I personally am not a fan about the "butt dyno" threads (good/bad).

No offense taken.

This review, as stated in the disclaimer, has no real tests (i.e. dyno) to back it up. If I put it on a dyno and found out I gained the numbers that AA claims, then the tune is doing its job -- great, but it won't change the way I feel the car drive. I'm looking to feel a difference, not see a difference in numbers on a sheet. After all, this is what we're all getting the tune for, isn't it?

This review, as stated in the disclaimer, has no real tests (i.e. dyno) to back it up. If I put it on a dyno and found out I gained the numbers that AA claims, then the tune is doing its job -- great, but it won't change the way I feel the car drive. I'm looking to feel a difference, not see a difference in numbers on a sheet. After all, this is what we're all getting the tune for, isn't it?

I understand ya.

Didn't want to sound like I was bashing you. You posted a very nice review.
You are correct, you want a tune that makes you smile when you press on the gas. I guess with a manual, it's harder to notice.

For rev-match downshifting pre-tune, I used to have to press the gas, wait a half second for the delay to pass, then do my downshift to give my car time to make it up to the appropriate RPM. Post-tune, I can now just blip my throttle and downshift without worrying about a delay.

That's exactly what I was curious about too. The delay really kills heel and toe. So it fixes the most annoying and un-sporty thing about my car. Power gain or not, that is great.